Collaboration widgets with user-modal voting preference

Abstract

Collaborative voting widgets (or controls) provide a graphical user interface (GUI) that is adapted for collaborative effort between groups of individuals. The widgets have a modal selection state that changes the appearance and functionality of the widget depending on whether the widget is being presented to a particular user (e.g., a group leader) or a member of the group. The group provides user input to vote on a value of the widget. The particular user may subsequently override the voting result, reset the votes and optionally call for a re-vote, overriding the group consensus or breaking ties.

1. A computer-performed method for processing collaborative input from members of a group of users, wherein the method comprises:
 determining whether or not a user for which a widget is to be generated is a group leader, wherein the widget instance has an associated voting status reflective of input from the members of the group of users, the associated voting status also including one of a resolved and an unresolved state; 
 within a computer system, displaying a user interface of the widget and setting a control value of the widget that controls an appearance of a feature of a user interface to indicate the associated voting status of a consensus of the members of the group of users with respect to their desired value of the appearance of the feature of the user interface, permitting adjustment of the control value by the user if the associated voting status is in the unresolved state, and prohibiting adjustment of the control value by the user if the associated voting status is in the resolved state, wherein the control value has a range of more than two distinct values; and 
 responsive to determining that the user is a group leader, displaying the user interface of the widget within the computer system and setting a control value of the widget to indicate the associated voting status of the consensus of the members of the group of users with respect to their desired value of the appearance of the feature of the user interface, permitting adjustment of the control value of the widget by the user if the associated voting status is in the unresolved state, and further permitting the user to take further action to resolve or alter the associated voting status independent of whether or not the associated status is in the resolved or unresolved state. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-performed method of  claim 1 , wherein the further action comprises providing a user input to override a current state of the associated voting status when the associated voting status is in the resolved state. 
     
     
       3. The computer-performed method of  claim 1 , wherein the further action comprises selecting a re-vote call, whereby subsequent instances of the widget presented to other members of the group provide an indication that the group leader has indicated that control value should be voted-on again. 
     
     
       4. The computer-performed method of  claim 1 , wherein the associated voting status is in an unresolved state due to a tie between a number of non-group-leader users, and wherein the further action comprises breaking the tie by setting a final value of the control value in conformity with the further action taken by the group leader. 
     
     
       5. The computer-performed method of  claim 4 , wherein the group leader is only permitted to set the control value if a current state of the associated voting status indicates a tie. 
     
     
       6. A computer system comprising a workstation processor for executing workstation program instructions and a memory coupled to the processor for storing the workstation program instructions, wherein the workstation program instructions for providing functionality of widgets in a graphical user interface presented on a display of the workstation computer system, wherein the workstation program instructions comprise program instructions for:
 determining whether or not a user for which a widget is to be generated is a group leader, wherein the widget instance has an associated voting status reflective of input from the members of the group of users, the associated voting status also including one of a resolved and an unresolved state; 
 displaying a user interface of the widget and setting a control value of the widget that controls an appearance of a feature of a user interface to indicate the associated voting status of a consensus of the members of the group of users with respect to their desired value of the appearance of the feature of the user interface, permitting adjustment of the control value by the user if the associated voting status is in the unresolved state, and prohibiting adjustment of the control value by the user if the associated voting status is in the resolved state wherein the control value has a range of more than two distinct values; and 
 responsive to determining that the user is a group leader, displaying the user interface of the widget within the computer system and setting a control value of the widget to indicate the associated voting status of the consensus of the members of the group of users with respect to their desired value of the appearance of the feature of the user interface, permitting adjustment of the control value of the widget by the user if the associated voting status is in the unresolved state, and further permitting the user to take further action to resolve or alter the associated voting status independent of whether or not the associated status is in the resolved or unresolved state. 
 
     
     
       7. The computer system of  claim 6 , wherein the further action comprises providing a user input to override the control value when the associated voting status is in the resolved state. 
     
     
       8. The computer system of  claim 6 , wherein the further action comprises selecting a revote call. 
     
     
       9. The computer system of  claim 6 , wherein the associated voting status is in an unresolved state due to a tie between a number of non-group-leader users, and wherein the further action comprises breaking the tie by setting a final value of the control value in conformity with the further action taken by the group leader. 
     
     
       10. The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the group leader is only permitted to set the control value if a current state of the associated voting status indicates a tie. 
     
     
       11. A computer program product comprising computer-readable storage media encoding workstation program instructions for execution on a workstation computer system, wherein the workstation program instructions include workstation program instructions for providing functionality of widgets in a graphical user interface presented on a display of the workstation computer system, wherein the workstation program instructions comprise program instructions for:
 determining whether or not a user for which a widget is to be generated is a group leader, wherein the widget instance has an associated voting status reflective of input from the members of the group of users, the associated voting status also including one of a resolved and an unresolved state; 
 within a computer system, displaying a user interface of the widget and setting a control value of the widget that controls an appearance of a feature of a user interface to indicate the associated voting status of a consensus of the members of the group of users with respect to their desired value of the appearance of the feature of the user interface, permitting adjustment of the control value by the user if the associated voting status is in the unresolved state, and prohibiting adjustment of the control value by the user if the associated voting status is in the resolved state wherein the control value has a range of more than two distinct values; and 
 responsive to determining that the user is a group leader, displaying the user interface of the widget within the computer system and setting a control value of the widget to indicate the associated voting status of the consensus of the members of the group of users with respect to their desired value of the appearance of the feature of the user interface, permitting adjustment of the control value of the widget by the user if the associated voting status is in the unresolved state, and further permitting the user to take further action to resolve or alter the associated voting status independent of whether or not the associated status is in the resolved or unresolved state. 
 
     
     
       12. The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the further action comprises providing a user input to override the control value when the associated voting status is the resolved state. 
     
     
       13. The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the further action comprises selecting a revote call. 
     
     
       14. The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the associated voting status is in an unresolved state due to a tie between a number of non-group-leader users, and wherein the further action comprises breaking the tie by setting a final value of the control value in conformity with the further action taken by the group leader. 
     
     
       15. The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the group leader is only permitted to set the control value if a current state of the associated voting status indicates a tie. 
     
     
       16. A computer program product comprising computer-readable storage media encoding server program instructions for execution on a server computer system, wherein the server program instructions include server program instructions for providing widget objects to a workstation user interface, wherein the widget objects include program instructions for:
 determining whether or not a user for which a widget is to be generated is a group leader, wherein the widget instance has an associated voting status reflective of input from the members of the group of users, the associated voting status also including one of a resolved and an unresolved state; 
 within a computer system, displaying a user interface of the widget and setting a control value of the widget that controls an appearance of a feature of a user interface to indicate the associated voting status of a consensus of the members of the group of users with respect to their desired value of the appearance of the feature of the user interface, permitting adjustment of the control value by the user if the associated voting status is in the unresolved state, and prohibiting adjustment of the control value by the user if the associated voting status is in the resolved state wherein the control value has a range of more than two distinct values; and 
 responsive to determining that the user is a group leader, displaying the user interface of the widget within the computer system and setting a control value of the widget to indicate the associated voting status of the consensus of the members of the group of users with respect to their desired value of the appearance of the feature of the user interface, permitting adjustment of the control value of the widget by the user if the associated voting status is in the unresolved state, and further permitting the user to take further action to resolve or alter the associated voting status independent of whether or not the associated status is in the resolved or unresolved state. 
 
     
     
       17. The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the associated voting status is in the unresolved state due to a tie between a number of non-group-leader users, and wherein the further action comprises breaking the tie by setting a final value of the control value in conformity with the further action taken by the group leader.